By: Wray (Senate Sponsor - Zaffirini) H.B. No. 1117
(In the Senate - Received from the House April 24, 2017;
May 1, 2017, read first time and referred to Committee on Veteran
Affairs & Border Security; May 11, 2017, reported favorably by the
following vote: Yeas 6, Nays 0; May 11, 2017, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to eligibility for the Texas Armed Services Scholarship
Program.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 61.9772(a), Education Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(a) To receive an initial scholarship under this
subchapter, a student must:
(1) be enrolled in a public or private institution of
higher education in this state;
(2) enroll in and be a member in good standing of a
Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) program or another
undergraduate officer commissioning program such as the United
States Marine Corps Platoon Leaders Class while enrolled in a
public or private institution of higher education in this state;
(3) be appointed to receive a scholarship by the
governor, the lieutenant governor, a state senator, or a state
representative; and
(4) enter into an agreement with the board under
Section 61.9773.
SECTION 2. Section 61.9773(a), Education Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(a) To receive a scholarship under this subchapter, a
student must enter into an agreement with the board as provided by
this section. The agreement must require the student to:
(1) complete four years of ROTC training or complete
another undergraduate officer commissioning program such as the
United States Marine Corps Platoon Leaders Class;
(2) graduate not later than six years after the date
the student first enrolls in a public or private institution of
higher education in this state;
(3) after graduation, enter into:
(A) a four-year commitment to be a member of the
Texas Army National Guard, Texas Air National Guard, Texas State
Guard, United States Coast Guard, or United States Merchant Marine;
or
(B) a contract to serve as a commissioned officer
in any branch of the armed services of the United States;
(4) meet the physical examination requirements and all
other prescreening requirements of the Texas Army National Guard,
Texas Air National Guard, Texas State Guard, United States Coast
Guard, or United States Merchant Marine or the branch of the armed
services with which the student enters into a contract; and
(5) agree to repay the scholarship if the student:
(A) fails to maintain satisfactory academic
progress;
(B) withdraws from the scholarship program; or
(C) fails to fulfill a commitment or contract
described by Subdivision (3).
SECTION 3. The changes in law made by this Act apply
beginning with a Texas Armed Services Scholarship awarded for the
2017-2018 academic year. A Texas Armed Services Scholarship
awarded for an academic year before that academic year is covered by
the law in effect when the scholarship was awarded, and that law is
continued in effect for that purpose.
SECTION 4. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
shall adopt rules for the administration of Sections 61.9772 and
61.9773, Education Code, as amended by this Act, as soon as
practicable after this Act takes effect.
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
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